It's been a terrible hunting year for me. My December deer hunting was totally screwed by bad weather and too much competition from other hunters. I killed a nice doe during the early antlerless season in October, but the processing plant burned to the ground and consumed my deer. Turkey hunting was a bust this year in an area where my buddy and I have killed 5 turkeys in the previous two years. So, I finally get to chase squirrels yesterday. Tromped the woods for 3 hours and saw zero squirrels...none, zip, nothing. Can't believe it. I've never been skunked in those woods before. Just isn't my year. Guess I won't buy a lottery ticket. Not feeling lucky.
Squirrel hunt yesterday...skunked.
- Thread starter Sniper66
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22250Rem
Member
Sorry to hear of it but I can relate...... Got skunked myself this past deer season. Passed some up but at least I had some opportunities. Been thinking of some late winter squirrel hunting ( season runs until Feb. 28th for me ). During deer seasons I sometimes discover good squirrel areas while sitting still & quiet in the woods deer hunting. They won't appear when tromping the woods but will sometimes show up after its been quiet for a while and they are convinced it's safe to come out. I have a few spots in mind where I haven't seen deer but after a half hour or so of sitting quietly I began to see multiple squirrels. Gonna give it a shot before end of February.
Godsgunman
Member
Just come to my small town, you'd get 4 in every tree, seriously. Hate the little vermin. If it was legal to discharge a weapon in town my house would be filled from floor to ceiling. My dog does his best to do his part, just a split second to slow though.
Hey...I'll come right up. I live in Lawrence! My neighbor shoots them with his pellet gun. It's illegal and I would never do it, but no one complains.
Choctaw
Member
I understand your disappointment but yesterday while you were tromping in the woods with a gun in hand I was in my office dealing with a bunch of needy attorneys. I'll take the woods over work any day. lol
Some years are definitely better than others. The leaf will turn for you and all will be right in your world.
Some years are definitely better than others. The leaf will turn for you and all will be right in your world.
I was about ready to call it quits the last 2 years and then finally shot a nice buck after being P/O all season. Last year i was having issues seeing things or getting anything in bow range until gun season came along and i ended up with 2 doe and a buck within a month. Keep at it, things will get better. I plan on squirrel hunting a state forest that i always have high hopes for but always seems to be a bust but its better then being at home or work.
CoalTrain49
Member
Come on over.
You can shoot squirrels from my back deck.
Everyone feeds them around here and they're ready for market.
That might take all of the fun out of tromping around in the woods for hours tho.
You can shoot squirrels from my back deck.
Everyone feeds them around here and they're ready for market.
That might take all of the fun out of tromping around in the woods for hours tho.
Thomas Mayberry
Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2018
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- 298
Got skunked on squirrels yesterday also. Buddy and I went out. Saw plenty of fresh digging and freshly chewed acorns. Neither of us saw a single one. Still, it was a pleasant day in the woods. Oh well, next time.
Godsgunman
Member
Sniper I'm in louisburg now so further now. Actually do my hunting west of Gardner on in-laws land.
buck460XVR
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
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- 10,051
Someone has to say it........"it's why they call it hunting."
Coming home empty handed sometimes makes those days when we have success, more memorable. Sometimes, getting skunked brings us back down to reality and the humbling experience makes us appreciate those successful days. Over the years I have hunted public land and private. Have been run over by deer and gone days without seeing a one. Have fished in areas where every cast resulted in a strike and in water where I never even saw a flash in the water. I know the day will come when all I can do is wish I could just get out in the woods again, much less see anything. For me, the pleasure I derive from hunting has become the experience and the challenge. Success is just a bonus and many times, quite anticlimactic. I hunt nowadays with lower expectations than in my youth, not so I'm not disappointed, but because I'm realistic. Used to be it seemed I hunted to prove something to my peers....now I hunt for myself. I'll never be able to afford that piece of land where I can see half a dozen trophy bucks all feeding in the same food plot at once like on T.V. While over the years I have ad the opportunities to fish fly-in lakes in Canada and large private Cranberry reservoirs what only a few could fish, I have come to realize that success there was not an indication of how good I was.....but how great the water was. Still, on those days when the only thing in the boat is weeds taken off the bait, I consider it a successful day of fishing. Those days when I come home from hunting, cold and tired with nuttin' but an empty game bag and a full box of shotgun shells, I'm still happy I was able to get out.
Coming home empty handed sometimes makes those days when we have success, more memorable. Sometimes, getting skunked brings us back down to reality and the humbling experience makes us appreciate those successful days. Over the years I have hunted public land and private. Have been run over by deer and gone days without seeing a one. Have fished in areas where every cast resulted in a strike and in water where I never even saw a flash in the water. I know the day will come when all I can do is wish I could just get out in the woods again, much less see anything. For me, the pleasure I derive from hunting has become the experience and the challenge. Success is just a bonus and many times, quite anticlimactic. I hunt nowadays with lower expectations than in my youth, not so I'm not disappointed, but because I'm realistic. Used to be it seemed I hunted to prove something to my peers....now I hunt for myself. I'll never be able to afford that piece of land where I can see half a dozen trophy bucks all feeding in the same food plot at once like on T.V. While over the years I have ad the opportunities to fish fly-in lakes in Canada and large private Cranberry reservoirs what only a few could fish, I have come to realize that success there was not an indication of how good I was.....but how great the water was. Still, on those days when the only thing in the boat is weeds taken off the bait, I consider it a successful day of fishing. Those days when I come home from hunting, cold and tired with nuttin' but an empty game bag and a full box of shotgun shells, I'm still happy I was able to get out.
MCgunner
Member
Any day in the woods looking for squirrel, even if you don't find 'em, beats a day doing about anything else....'cept maybe fishing.
Hmm, now I have another good reason that I process my own deer/hogs. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it saves money and gets it done RIGHT, the way I want it done, anyway.
Hmm, now I have another good reason that I process my own deer/hogs. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it saves money and gets it done RIGHT, the way I want it done, anyway.
YEA!!! Got two yesterday. Both head shots and one today...another head shot. Then we ate them for dinner. Totally satisfying. Would have shot more today, but the cattle were lonely it seems and followed me everywhere. Was deciding my next move I was sitting in my car with the rifle barrel out the window when a cow approached, sniffed and licked the barrel. When I quit laughing, I put the gun away and got out the camera. Can never predict what a hunt is going to produce.
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